Beatles expert to tell secrets, stories of the Fab Four

Tuesday

Oct 8, 2013 at 3:47 PM

Once famous for his presentations for the long-standing, clue-riddled rumor of Paul McCartney's death, Beatles expert and Delaware native Joel Glazier will discuss the history and impact of the Fab Four Wednesday evening in Georgetown.

There are people in the world who see connections everywhere they go. For Joel Glazier, almost all connections can be traced back to The Beatles.

As a retired history teacher—He taught for more than 28 years—he still loves dissecting and discussing the context of major events. But, his filter now, as always, is the musical catalogue of the Fab Four: John Lennon, Paul McCartney Ringo Starr and George Harrison, known collectively as The Beatles.

This Wednesday evening, he'll give audiences a view through his lens with his illustrated presentation, "The History and Impact of The Beatles" at the Georgetown Public Library.

"I was the right age at the right time," Glazier said of his budding Beatle interest, which began as a seventh grader when he first saw them on their iconic "Ed Sullivan Show" debut. "But, I do feel sorry for young people now. They don't get the excitement for the next Beatle record like we did."

His presentations are enthusiastic as he weaves together bits and pieces of everyday life and combines them with major events, all the while explaining how The Beatles contributed to, caused or accented the memories of baby boomers. For a younger generation, he can explain why grateful homage should be paid for long haircuts and short hemlines.

He slips in and out of anecdotes.

When asked about the influence of the Beatles, Glazier says that "if any band today doesn't acknowledge them, they're not being honest." That statement launches him into the litany of "first and onlys" that he says only The Beatles can claim: they were the first popular singer-songwriters following an era of entertainers who sang the work and words of others; they performed the first major outdoor concert (held at Shea Stadium in New York City in 1965); In 1964, they became the first and only band to obtain the top five spots on "Billboard Top 100."

The list of "first and onlys" spawns other revelations, too.

"I was a typical Beatle fan and told my friends, 'Let's go to Abbey Road to recreate the photo on the album cover," Glazier said, as he recreated the moment that he saw McCartney riding bikes with his wife at the time, Linda, and two of their children. He met Starr and Harrison later, at another location.

"Ringo was very charming and I was just in awe of George," Glazier said.

Here in his home state, he is known as a speaker for the Delaware Humanities Forum. Elsewhere in the world, his "15 minutes of fame" began with his detailed explanations and presentations of the long-standing, clue-riddled rumor of Paul McCartney's death. That's a separate presentation, though.

Glazier doesn't have a website and Beatles fans won't find his lectures on YouTube. He prefers live interaction in an intimate setting to the impersonal nature of the internet, saying that his presentations aren't formal or stuffy. And, while he's obviously passionate about The Beatles, he insists he's "not a nut," adding that Wednesday's discussion will feel like a "trip down memory lane for most people."

"I love this," Glazier said in reference to the lectures and discussions he's given all over the country and the world, including the annual Beatles Fans Convention in Liverpool, England. "It's been one happy little magic mystery tour."